1. Field
The present disclosure relates to determining and establishing at least two node disjoint paths, and, more specifically, to determining and establishing at least two node disjoint paths within a wireless ad-hoc network that includes a source and a target node using on-demand flooding.
2. Background Information
Typically communication between two nodes within an ad-hoc wireless network is accomplished utilizing a single communication path. However, the reliability and the throughput of communication between the two nodes may be increased and the load balance may be improved if multiple communication paths are used. Often, multi-path routing in an ad-hoc wireless network may establish multiple paths between source and destination nodes.
Communication paths may be considered as being comprised of a number of path segments, or links. Each path segment connects two nodes. These path segments may be connected in series to, ultimately, connect a specific source node with a specific target node. A communication from the source node may leap from node to node via the path segments until it reaches the target, or destination, node.
Multi-path routing is generally classified into two categories: link-disjoint and node-disjoint. In the link-disjoint scheme, the multiple paths typically do not share path segments, or links. For example, a first path may include a path segment from node-A to node-B, i.e. a node-A:B path segment. As a result, any other paths would not include the node-A:B path segment. However, a path could include a node-AC path segment. In the node-disjoint scheme, the multiple paths do not share nodes. For example, a first path may include a path segment from node-A to node-B. As a result, any other paths would not include either nodes A or B.
Both types of multipath routing schemes may provide benefits for the communicating source-destination node pair. Some benefits may include: high reliability, load balancing, and an end-to-end throughput improvement; however, other benefits may occur. Often a node disjoint multipath routing scheme may provide better protection against node failure than link disjoint routing.